Suicide prevention: What to do when a friend needs help

Feb 1, 2017

Rate this article and enter to winHave you been worried about a friend, roommate, or classmate who is increasingly withdrawn, behaving recklessly, or hinting at self-harm? Joining a college campus means joining a community—and within that community, it is likely that someone you know will be seriously affected by mental illness or will contemplate suicide. In an anonymous survey of 29,000 students, 1 in 10 said they had seriously considered suicide in the past 12 months (NCHA, 2015). Two out of three college students who disclose suicidal thoughts tell a peer first (Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 2009). Most students want to help others but often aren’t sure how, SH101 surveys show. So here’s how.

Your concerns are probably valid. It’s appropriate to empathize, listen, and help connect your friend to other supports. Suicidal thoughts are far more common than suicide attempts; your friend may feel relief when you raise the issue.

Reach out to mutual close friends to see if they share your concern, and strategize about how to help. “It’s not gossip if the intention is to coordinate help for a friend,” says Charles Morse, associate dean for student development and director of counseling at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Massachusetts.

When seeking help for another person, what’s the deal with privacy?

By Marian Trattner, MSW, suicide prevention coordinator at the University of Texas at Austin, and Charlie Morse, MA, LMHC, associate dean for student development at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Massachusetts

When the professional is a licensed mental health professional:

If Student A talks to a licensed mental health professional about Student B, privacy is guaranteed in almost all circumstances. Because of confidentiality laws, the mental health professional can’t reach out to the student of concern. Exception: The professional can contact Student B if there seems to be an immediate threat to Student B or others.

Counselors might ask for information about Student B but will not reveal what they know about that student: “Occasionally we do ask for names of students, as it might help us strategize as to how to best approach the situation (for instance, when we know the student is already in counseling),” says Charles Morse. “Students understand that we will never share confidential information, even something as ‘simple’ as whether a student has been seen in counseling before. Unless we are concerned about a student’s well-being, we will not try to take the situation out of their hands.”

When the professional is not a licensed mental health professional:

If Student A talks to a student affairs professional who is not a licensed mental health professional, seeking advice about Student B, then that student affairs professional could and should reach out to Student B. Student A can ask that their name be kept out of the conversation.

3. Take action

Your support can be either or both of these:

Direct: i.e., talking to the person you’re worried about

Indirect: i.e., talking to or involving another person or resource

Direct action

Suicide risk factors, warning signs, and what to do

Is it a warning sign or a risk factor?Suicide risk factors suggest a person may be at higher risk for suicide in the long term (not immediately). For example:

An alcohol or drug use problem

A previous suicide attempt

A mood disorder (e.g., depression)

Access to a firearm, pills, or other lethal means

Action: Call 911 or seek immediate help from a mental health providerWhen you hear or see any one of these behaviors:

Leah Roman studied public health at Boston University. She works as a consultant in the Philadelphia area and writes Pop Health, a blog that examines the intersection of public health and popular culture.